Electrical impulse counter for automatic car wash and the like

ABSTRACT

A counter system that insures a count each time power is applied to an electric motor or the like is disclosed. The system is particularly adaptable to automatic car wash apparatus, but can also be incorporated into electrically controlled vending machines or the like. Electrical power cannot be applied to a motor or other electrically operative device until the electrical impulse counter has been energized. Thus, the process to be counted cannot begin until a count has been initiated. The counter and associated apparatus are housed in a tamper-proof box using armor type cable or the like.

United States Patent Gilboy ELECTRICAL IMPULSE COUNTER FOR AUTOMATIC CAR WASH AND THE LIKE Primary Examiner-Gareth D. Shaw Assistant Examiner-Joseph M. Thesz, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Witherspoon and Lane [76] Inventor: Joseph J. Gilboy, 2525 Colton Dr.,

Richmond, Va. 23235 [22] Filed: July 20, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 381,072 A counter system that insures a count each time power is applied to an electric motor or the like is dis- [52] U S Cl 235/92 PD 235/92 FP 235/92 CT closed. The system is particularly adaptable to auto- 235/92 matic car wash apparatus, but can also be incorpo- [51] l t Cl G06 3/12 rated into electrically controlled vending machines or [581 CT FP the like. Electrical power cannot be applied to a 0 235/92 motor or other electrically operative device until the electrical impulse counter has been energized. Thus, [56] Referen es Cited the process to be counted cannot begin until a count c has been initiated. The counter and associated appara- UNITED STATES PATENTS tus are housed in a tamper-proof box using armor type 3,322,937 5/1967 OBrien 235/92 0 cable or the like. 3,437,799 4/1969 Upshur et al 235/92 FF 4 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure TO MOTOR STARTER COIL l5 l4 l2 ff l3 J l l CIRCUIT l TO CONTROL PATENTED JAN 1 M975 TO MOTOR STARTER COIL 7 7 TO CONTROL CIRCUIT 9 ELECTRICAL IMPULSE COUNTER FOR AUTOMATIC CAR WASH AND THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to counters and more particularly to electrical impulse counters for counting the number of times electrical apparatus, such as a water pump motor of an automatic car wash, has been turned- In vending machines, automatic car washes or the like, the income derived by the owner thereof is directly related to the number of times the device in question is utilized. The owners of this type of apparatus are often not the proprietor or manager of the establishments where the apparatus is located. Therefore, there is always a danger that the owner may not be receiving full compensation for the use of his equipment.

Apparatus of this type does, of course, presently have various safeguards built in to protect the owner. However, experience has shown, particularly in automatic car washes, that present safeguards can be and are readily defeated. Thus, the apparatus is utilized, and the owners are not paid for this use.

An electric impulse counter system which insures a count each time the apparatus is utilized is, however, disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 218,285, filed Jan. 1, 1972 now US. Pat. No. 3,748,444, issued July 24, 1973. The applicant herein is a coinventor of the system described in said U.s. Pat. No. 3,748,444, and is the sole assignee of said US. Pat. No. 3,748,444. This invention is an improvement over the system described in said U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,444 in that the relay utilized in the system described in said US. Pat. No. 3,748,444 has been replaced with a solid state sytem.

' SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An electrical impulse counter system particularly adaptable to automatic car wash apparatus is disclosed. Each time an automobile enters the car wash, a count is registered on the counter. The system is so designed that the pump motor for the wash water or other motor of the car wash system cannot be energized until the counter is energized. Power is not applied to the motor until the counter is energized. Thus, the car wash cannot be used until the counter itself is energized to register a count.

The counter and the components directly associated with the energization of the motor and counter are housed in a tamper-proof box and power is brought to the box by means of an armored cable or the like. One must break open the box or cut through the cable to defeat the counter system of thisinvention. Of course, such destruction is immediately apparent to the owner of the car wash.

While the invention is specifically described as being applied to an automated car wash, it can also be applied to any apparatus where electrical power must be applied to a motor or other device to operate the apparatus; for example, electrically operated vending machines. This will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING A clear and concise understanding of the structure and operation of the invention can be obtained from the following detailed description of the invention when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing in which the single FIGURE shows a preferred embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The single FIGURE of the drawing shows a preferred embodiment of the invention as it is utilized in an automatic car wash system. An automatic car wash system is one in which an automobile passes through the system and is washed and dried mechanically. That is, no human labor is necessary to perform the operation of washing the car. Many of these systems are coin operated. If one wishes to clean his automobile in such a coin operated system, he merely drives the car into the car wash, inserts the proper amount of money, and the system automatically processes the car through the various steps of the system. At the end of the system there is generally a lever or wand that is tripped to shut down the car wash apparatus. While the embodiment of the invention as shown is described as being applied to an automatic car wash, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the apparatus of such a car wash system is similar to the apparatus of a non-automatic conventional car wash. Thus, the invention as shown could be applied directly to these other car wash system.

Referring to the drawing, which shows a preferred embodiment of the invention as it is utilized in a conventional automatic car wash system, the electrical conductors l9 and 21 are coupled to the starter coil of one of the car wash system motors, for example, the car wash water pump motor. However, it is noted that conductors l9 and 21 can be connected to the starter coil of any one of the several motors generally used in a car wash system. The conductors 7 and 9 are coupled to a source of AC power through the control circuitry of the car wash system.

Conductors 19 and 21 and 7 and 9 pass through a tamper-proof electrical box or housing 1. Electrical box 1 can be any suitable box that is tamper-proof. Box 1 would conventionally be made ofsteel or other heavy duty metal and provided with a door that can be locked. Conductors 19 and 21 and 7 and 9 wouldconventionally be conductors of an armor type cable or other type cable that is not readily severed. Further, these cables would be connected to box 1 with tamperproof couplings, or would pass through box 1 with suitable grommets or the like. The conductors would then be exposed inside box 1. Of course, any other suitable arrangement could be used. The main point being that box 1 and the conductors going into box 1 should be so constructed that it would be difficult to tamper with the box or conductors and the circuitry inside box 1 without either destroying box 1 or the conductors or so damage box 1, the circuitry inside box 1 or the conductors going into box 1 that it would be obvious that someone had been tampering with box 1 or the conductors.

The elements of the counter system of this invention are housed inside box 1. As shown in the FIGURE, conductors l9 and 21 are connected to the terminals 6and 8 of an impulse counter 3. Counter 3 has a window 4 beneath which are located conventional digit wheels showing the present count. Any type of conventional impulse counter can be used for counter 3. An impulse counter is defined herein as one that is conditioned to register a count each time power is applied, but does not register the count until the power is removed. That is, each time power is applied to counter 3 it is conditioned to register a one count but does not actually register this count until power is removed. Of course, the counter totals up all these counts of one to give a total count. It the counter capacity is reached, it is merely reset to zero. The door provided on box 1 would conventionally be provided with a shatter-proof window so that the count on counter 1 would be read without opening box 1.

Conductor 7 is directly connected to terminal 6 of counter 3. Conductor 9 is connected to one side of a resistor 11. The cathode 12 of a silicon controlled rectifier 17 is also connected to this side of resistor 11. The other side of resistor 11 is connected to the gate electrode 14 of silicon controlled rectifier l7 and to one side of a resistor 13. The other side of resistor 13 is connected to the cathode of a diode 15. The anode ofsilicon controlled rectifier 17 and the anode of the diode 15 are both connected to terminal 8 of counter 3. The above-described circuitry operates as follows in a conventional automatic car wash system: The user of the car wash system deposits the proper amount of coins in the coin receptacle provided. Power is then applied to conductors 7 and 9 through the control circuitry of the car wash system. When power is applied to conductors 7 and 9, silicon control rectifier 17 is gated on and power is applied to counter 3 and to conductors l9 and 21. When conductors 19 and 21 are energized, power is applied to the starter coil of, for example, the water pump motor. At this point counter 3 is conditioned to register a count of one, but does not register this count until power is removed from conductors 7 and 9.

With the pump motor running, the car can proceed through the car wash. As has been mentioned, automatic car washes are generally equipeed with a lever or wand switch that is actuated by the automobile as it passes over the lever or wand. This switch is connected to' conductors 7 and 9 through the control circuitry. Thus, when the automobile passes over the lever or wand switch, power is removed from conductors 7 and 9 and therefore from the circuitry in box 1, counter 3 and conductors l9 and 21. When conductors 19 and 21 are deenergized, the motor is, of course, deenergized. At this time, counter 3 registers a count.

From the foregoing description, it is quite obvious that a count will be registered each time the car wash is operated. It should also be obvious that the system of this invention can be utilized with any one of the motors of the system other than the water pump motor specifically mentioned, and could also be used with any car wash system and with other systems such as electric vending machines. In addition, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiment shown without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a car wash system, a counter system comprising:

a. a counter having first and second terminals, said counter registering one count each time said counter is energized and then de-energized;

b. means to connect said first and second terminals of said counter across the starter coil of a motor of said car wash system;

c. first and second conductors coupled to a source of AC power through the control circuit of said car wash system;

(1. means to connect said first conductor to said first terminal of said counter;

e. a silicon controlled rectifier having a gate electrode, a cathode and an anode;

f. means to connect said cathode of said silicon controlled rectifier to said second conductor;

g. a first resistor;

h. a second resistor connected in series with said first resistor i. means to connect said first resistor to said second conductor;

j. a diode connected between said second resistor and said second terminal of counter;

k. means to connect said anode of said silicon controlled rectifier to said second terminal of said counter; and

1. means to connect said gate electrode of said silicon controlled rectifier to the common point of said first and second resistors, whereby triggering said silicon controlled rectifier to its conductive state by the application of a voltage from said source of AC power energizes said car wash motor and energizes said counter to condition said counter to register a count, said counter registering a count when said silicon controlled rectifier returns to its off state.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said starter coil is the starter coil of the water pump motor of said car wash system.

3. The combination as defined in claim 2 wherein said silicon controlled rectifier and said counter are housed in a tamper-resistant, locked steel utility box and all electrical conductors brought into said box are covered by a protective sheath.

4. In combination with vending apparatus, a counter system comprising:

a. a counter having first and second terminals, said counter registering one count each time said counter is energized and then de-energized;

b. means to connect said counter across the starter coil of a motor of said vending apparatus;

c. first and second conductors coupled to a source of AC power;

d. means to connect said first conductor to said first terminal of said counter;

e. a silicon controlled rectifier having a gate electrode, a cathode and an anode;

f. means to connect said cathode of said silicon controlled rectifier to said second conductor;

g. a first resistor;

h. a second resistor connected in series with said first resistor;

iv means to connect said first resistor to said second conductor;

j. a diode connected between said second resistor and said second terminal of said counter;

k. means to connect said anode of said silicon controlled rectifier to said second terminal of said counter; and

l. means to connect said gate electrode of said silicon controlled rectifier to the common point of said first and second resistors, whereby triggering said silicon controlled rectifier to the conductive state energizes said motor of said vending apparatus and energizes said counter to condition said counter to register a count, said counter registering a count when said silicon controlled rectifier returns to the off state. 

1. In combination with a car wash system, a counter system comprising: a. a counter having first and second terminals, said counter registering one count each time said counter is energized and then de-energized; b. means to connect said first and second terminals of said counter across the starter coil of a motor of said car wash system; c. first and second conductors coupled to a source of AC power through the control circuit of said car wash system; d. means to connect said first conductor to said first terminal of said counter; e. a silicon controlled rectifier having a gate electrode, a cathode and an anode; f. means to connect said cathode of said silicon controlled rectifier to said second conductor; g. a first resistor; h. a second resistor connected in series with said first resistor i. means to connect said first resistor to said second conductor; j. a diode connected between said second resistor and said second terminal of counter; k. means to connect said anode of said silicon controlled rectifier to said second terminal of said counter; and l. means to connect said gate electrode of said silicon controlled rectifier to the common point of said first and second resistors, whereby triggering said silicon controlled rectifier to its conductiVe state by the application of a voltage from said source of AC power energizes said car wash motor and energizes said counter to condition said counter to register a count, said counter registering a count when said silicon controlled rectifier returns to its off state.
 2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said starter coil is the starter coil of the water pump motor of said car wash system.
 3. The combination as defined in claim 2 wherein said silicon controlled rectifier and said counter are housed in a tamper-resistant, locked steel utility box and all electrical conductors brought into said box are covered by a protective sheath.
 4. In combination with vending apparatus, a counter system comprising: a. a counter having first and second terminals, said counter registering one count each time said counter is energized and then de-energized; b. means to connect said counter across the starter coil of a motor of said vending apparatus; c. first and second conductors coupled to a source of AC power; d. means to connect said first conductor to said first terminal of said counter; e. a silicon controlled rectifier having a gate electrode, a cathode and an anode; f. means to connect said cathode of said silicon controlled rectifier to said second conductor; g. a first resistor; h. a second resistor connected in series with said first resistor; i. means to connect said first resistor to said second conductor; j. a diode connected between said second resistor and said second terminal of said counter; k. means to connect said anode of said silicon controlled rectifier to said second terminal of said counter; and l. means to connect said gate electrode of said silicon controlled rectifier to the common point of said first and second resistors, whereby triggering said silicon controlled rectifier to the conductive state energizes said motor of said vending apparatus and energizes said counter to condition said counter to register a count, said counter registering a count when said silicon controlled rectifier returns to the off state. 